I Trust You
by Keleficent
Summary: Dipper didn't trust Stan last time. Could be make the same mistake twice?


The scenario is all too familiar, but their roles have changed.

Ford was now playing the role of desperate brother willing to risk the everything to save his twin. He had lost his brother so many times already. He couldn't bear to have it happen again.

Mabel was playing the role of the one trying to be rational and save all their lives. It was killing her to do it. Of course, she doesn't want Grunkle Stan to get hurt, but with her sibling's life on the line, she was faced with a no-win situation.

With the both of them tied up in the corner, that left Dipper playing the role of the one who had to make the choice. The choice of whether to trust Stan.

Dipper knows what Stan would want. He would be telling Dipper to pull the trigger and save himself. Beneath Stan's gruff exterior is a self-sacrificing heart Dipper had seen so many times. He saw it when Stan threw himself in between them and a horde of zombies rather than escaping before they even knew he was there. He saw it when they were falling and Stan positioned himself under them to take the brunt of the fall which would have surely killed him if not for the birdseed cushioning their landing. He saw it when Stan allowed Bill to enter his mind to stop him once and for all.

Or so they thought.

"What are you going to do, Pine Tree?"

It was all wrong. He shouldn't call Dipper "Pine Tree." He shouldn't have that horrible, high-pitched voice coming out of him. He shouldn't be glowering at him with those hideous, yellow eyes.

"Grunkle Stan…" Dipper had to believe that his uncle was still in there somewhere. "If you can hear me, do you remember what you said to me after Ford came back?"

 _It was an understatement to say there was tension after Ford came back through the portal. It wasn't just Ford who was avoiding Stan. Dipper barely spoke to him._

 _Stan couldn't blame him. He had lied to him, betrayed his trust. He had to talk things out with Dipper. He didn't know if he'll ever have his brother's trust again, but maybe he could still salvage some kind of relationship with his nephew._

 _Stan peered into the attic to find Dipper sitting on his bed reading Journal #3. He had been re-reading it like crazy ever since Ford came back since Ford didn't want much to do with him. Stan felt bad for the kid, but it was better that Ford stays away and keeps them out of danger._

 _Stan knocked on the door to let Dipper know he was there. "Uh, hey. Can I come in?"_

 _Dipper looked up at Stan before quickly dropping his eyes to the floor. "Yeah, sure."_

 _Stan sat on the bed next to Dipper. For once, the smooth-talking conman didn't know what to say. He couldn't make up a lie to get out of trouble. He had to tell the truth now. So, what was the truth? He was sorry. Yeah, that's good. He'll say he's sorry. Here goes nothing…_

 _"I'm sorry, Grunkle Stan."_

 _Okay, not the reaction Stan expected. "You're sorry? For what?"_

 _"I should have trusted you."_

 _"Come on, kid. Who would trust a swindler like me?"_

 _"Mabel did."_

 _"Don't be so hard on yourself, Dipper. None of this would have happened if I had been honest with you kids."_

 _"I just keep thinking that if Mabel had listened to me, Ford wouldn't have come back. You would have lost your brother for good."_

 _The same outcome had crossed Stan's mind. Thirty years of sweat, tears, and hope would have been lost by the push of a button._

 _"And you would have hated me," Dipper said that last part quietly, but Stan's old ears still picked up._

 _"Hey, you listen to me. I could never hate you, Dipper. I…I…" Stan muttered something unintelligible._

 _"What?"_

 _"I said I…you know…I" Stan was finally able to spit it out, albeit in one breath. "I love you."_

 _How was Dipper supposed to respond to that? "Uh, yeah…me too."_

 _Stan fidgeted feeling like some sort of affectionate gesture should be done. A hug? A handshake? Ruffling the hair? He settled for a pat on Dipper's knee._

 _Stan stood up to leave certain that things were alright between him and Dipper. Before he walked away from this rare moment of genuineness, he wanted to get something off his chest. "Dipper?"_

 _"Yeah?"_

 _"I want you to know something. I know I'm not the most trustworthy guy in the world, but there is one thing that I'll never lie about." Stan remembered how hurt and angry Dipper was when he believed that Stan would put them all in danger. "I would never do anything to hurt you kids."_

He had promised never to hurt them. Dipper had believed him then. Could he still believe him now? Could Stan let Bill hurt his family? Could he even stop Bill if he wanted? Could Dipper kill his uncle, his protector, his best friend?

"Grunkle Stan…" Dipper didn't trust Stan last time. Could he make that same mistake twice? Dipper dropped the gun and threw up his hands. "I trust you."

He heard Ford and Mabel screaming, telling Dipper to run, and begging Bill not to hurt him. But Bill won't hurt him. Grunkle Stan won't let him.

He picked up the gun and pointed it at Dipper's head. They stared each other down. Dipper didn't flinch, but Stan's hands shook like some invisible force was trying to pry the gun from his hands.

He dropped the gun like it gave him an electric shock. He fell to his knees and stared down at the floor.

"Grunkle Stan?" Dipper approached his uncle ignoring the dumbfounded expressions of Ford and Mabel.

Stan looked up at Dipper with tearful eyes. "Dipper, you…you shouldn't have…"

Dipper flung his arms around Stan. "I should have all along."

Stan returned his embrace. "Thanks for trusting me, kid."


End file.
